Baghdad – IA – Hassan Al-Fawaz
Today, Sunday, the Ministry of Water Resources revealed a movement to include new sites within the Ramsar Convention, while emphasizing the role of wetlands in mitigating the effects of climate change.
The Director General of the Marshes and Wetlands Revitalization Center, Hussein Ali Hussein, said during the event of World Wetlands Day and Iraq’s accession to the Ramsar Convention, attended by the correspondent of the (INA): “The Ministry of Water Resources, through the Marshes and Wetlands Revitalization Center, worked to Holding the annual celebration of wetlands,” indicating that “the Center has devoted its annual effort to achieving multiple achievements and activities at the professional level and also to highlight the important role that wetlands play as natural solutions to environmental problems with the economic, social, and cultural services they provide, in addition to the multiple ecological services represented by By storing and purifying water and providing food and shelter for 40 percent of the species on Earth, protecting against floods and storms, and storing carbon in forests.”
He pointed out, “The role that wetlands play at this stage is to mitigate the effects of climate change,” noting that “Wetlands and human well-being are the theme of World Wetlands Day 2024.”
He continued, “This year’s campaign highlighted the extent to which wetlands and human life are interconnected, as people derive their strength, inspiration and resilience from these productive ecosystems, as well as how all aspects of human well-being are linked to the health of the world’s wetlands.”
He added, “Investing in the sustainable use of wetlands means investing in the future of humanity, as wetlands can provide cities and their residents with multiple economic, social and cultural benefits that support human well-being.”
He explained, “Restoring wetlands is essential to overcome the climate and biodiversity crisis and achieve sustainable development goals for the benefit of all people,” noting that “climate change is the decisive issue of our time, and celebrating this occasion this year is accompanied by highlighting the importance represented by wetlands.” In human life and its vital functions for the planet, and encouraging measures to restore it and stop its loss.”
He continued, “The Ministry of Water Resources, through the Center for the Revitalization of Marshes and Wetlands, sought to preserve wetlands inside Iraq and consider them a national heritage and a distinctive landmark, as the Al-Hamar Marsh, Al-Hawizeh Marsh, the Central Marshes, and Lake Sawa were declared Ramsar sites of international importance, in coordination and joint work with… Ramsar International Convention.
He pointed out that “the center’s plan was implemented at the beginning of the year 2022, which consists of ensuring the minimum water flows to the marsh areas by expanding and deepening the marsh feeders in the governorates of Dhi Qar, Basra, and Maysan, and connecting them to ponds and deep areas.”
He stressed, “Eagerness to unify efforts to preserve wetlands in cooperation and coordination with all governmental and non-governmental institutions, organizations and local residents to enhance institutional capacity with the mechanisms, resources and skills necessary to achieve partnership between these parties.”
He called on “all parties to work side by side with the Ministry of Water Resources and the Iraqi Marshes and Wetlands Revitalization Center in seeking to protect, rehabilitate and invest in lands through scientifically studied methods, away from unjust exploitation of their resources.”
He expressed his “aspiration to include new sites on the list of the Ramsar Convention in the future, out of the keenness of the Ministry and the Center to emphasize the importance of these sites environmentally, socially and economically and their major role in supporting the national economy.”
It is noteworthy that the “Ramsar Convention” is an international treaty for the preservation and sustainable use of wetlands in order to stop the gradual increase in the loss of wetlands in the present and the future and to address the basic ecological tasks of wetlands and develop their economic, cultural, scientific role and recreational value. The agreement bears the name of the city of Ramsar in Iran.